Connection between a metal leg structure and a plastic tray



3,139,188 CONNECTION BETWEEN A METAL LEG STRUCTURE AND A PLASTIC TRAY June 30, 1964 D. A. GOETZ ETAL Filed April 11, 1963 NH INVENTORS.

DAN/EL 4. 60572 ATT0R CHARLES R. 6057' Z ng/ A 6% FAWHNmnW J United States Patent 3,139,188 CONNECTION BETWEEN A METAL LEG STRUC- TURE AND A PLASTEE TRAY Daniel A. Goetz and Charles R. Goetz, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignors to Stylette Plastics, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,470 4 Claims. (Cl, 211-126) This invention relates to trays or other similar articles made from a plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl, etc., and more particularly to a connection between a metal rod-like leg structure and a plastic tray.

Heretofore, plastic trays and especially plastic paint trays have included a leg structure also made from plastic material for mounting the tray upon the top board of a step ladder or upon some other similar device. This leg structure of the plastic paint tray is at an end thereof and has feet which fit around and engage a part of the upper and under surfaces and one side of the top board of the step ladder. Service life of such plastic leg structures of the plastic paint trays has been unsatisfactory because the leg structure has failed or broken so that the tray could not be mounted upon the top board of the step ladder. Also, in some cases, the broken leg structure prevented the tray from resting in a level position upon a fiat surface so that it could not be used to merely hold paint.

To overcome deficiencies of the plastic leg structure, metal rod-like leg structures replaced the plastic ones, but the connection or attachment of the metal rod-like leg structure to the plastic paint tray presented difiiculties which have not been readily overcome. The difficulties arose from an inability to easily and quickly attach the metal leg structure to the plastic paint tray in combination with providing an attachment which securely joined the leg structure to the plastic tray and which remained firmly attached thereto in service. A loose or insecure attachment is unsatisfactory because of likelihood of paint spillage. Some manufacturers have satisfactorily effected a connection of the leg structure and the plastic tray, but the connection has failed or become loosened in service, thereby materially reducing the utility of the tray.,

Our invention provides a connection between a metal rod-like leg structure and a plastic paint tray which connection is easily and quickly effected and which remains secure and firm and does not loosen in service. Specifically, our connection between a metal rod-like leg structure and a tray-like member made from plastic material comprises a receptacle adjacent the periphery of one side of the tray for receiving and maintaining therein a segment of the leg structure. This segment is disposed in the receptacle and has dependent therefrom a portion of the leg structure which supports the tray in a given position when in use. The receptacle is on the underside of the tray, is spaced inwardly from the periphery of its side and extends substantially parallel to the side. It is defined by a portion of the underside of the tray, which portion engages at least a part of the top side of the segment, by lug members at the ends thereof and spaced apart a distance substantially the length of the segment and sufiicient to receive and confine therebetween the segment. Each lug member depends an amount at least one-half the thickness of the segment and in one embodiment that lug member adjacent the depending portion of the leg structure extends downwardly from the underside of the tray along a part of the depending portion. The receptacle is further defined by a rib member affixed to a part of the body of the tray in a position spaced apart from the portion of the underside and in engagement with at least a portion of the underside of the segment. Additionally, the receptacle is defined by a part 3,139,188 Patented June 30, 1964 "ice of the body of the tray which part depends from the interior side of the receptacle and by a lip member joined to the periphery of the side and depending substantially downwardly therefrom an amount at least the thickness of the segment so that the lip and part of the body form the sides of the receptacle. At least one of the lip and this part of the body of the tray are in engagement with the segment.

Our invention also includes a method of attaching the metal rod-like leg structure to the tray made from plastic material and fabricated by one of an injection molding, vacuum forming, transfer molding, blow molding, rotational molding and extrusion processes wherein the plastic material immediately after fabrication into the tray is plastic and pliable and has not become substantially rigid. Our invention in the method comprises the steps of fabricating the tray to form on the underside thereof at least one receptacle for receiving and maintaining therein a segment of the leg structure wherein that portion of the leg structure which supports the tray in a given position depends downwardly from the segment. The fabrication locates the receptacle inwardly from the periphery of one side of the tray and substantially parallel to the side, and defines the receptacle by a portion of the underside of the tray, by two lug members at the ends thereof and spaced apart a distance substantially the length of the segment and suflicient to receive and confine the ends of said segment, by a rib member affixed to the underside of the tray in a position to engage at least a portion of the underside of the segment, and by a part of the body of the tray which part depends from the interior side of the receptacle. The tray is further fabricated so as to form a substantially horizontally disposed lip member joined to the periphery of the side and extending horizontally an amount at least the thickness of the segment. Immediately after fabrication, while the material is plastic and pliable, the segment is inserted into the receptacle between the lug members. Immediately thereafter, the lip member is bent from its horizontal position downwardly toward the segment positioned in the receptacle to form a side of the receptacle. Then the tray is permitted to harden so that the segment is maintained in the receptacle.

In the accompanying drawings, we have shown a preferred embodiment of our invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a plastic paint tray and a metal rod leg structure connected thereto in accordance with our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view along the 11-11 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view along the line III-III of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section view along the line IV--1V of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the tray as fabricated by an injection molding process and with a peripheral lip thereof in a horizontal position from which it is bent into the position of FIG- URE 4.

Referring to the figures, we have shown a paint tray 1 for use in rolling paint and enamel onto walls and ceiling of a room and onto other flat surfaces. This tray is made from linear polyethylene by an injection molding process.

Attached to the tray adjacent the left-hand end, viewing FIGURES 1 and 2, is a wire rod leg structure 2 made from a single piece of steel wire and bent to form at each end a horizontal segment 3 from which depends a vertical segment 4-. At the lower end of each vertical segment, the rod is bent at right angles towards the lefthand end of the tray to form one horizontal arm 5 of a U-shaped foot, then bent at right angles downwardly ensures from the left-hand end of the arm to make a vertical part 6 of the U-shaped foot, and finally, at right angles from the lower end of the vertical part 6 to form the other horizontal arm 7 of the U-shaped foot. This foot extends across'the width of the tray on the underside and receives and engages a part of the top of a step ladder for mounting the tray thereupon.

The horizontal arm 7 of the foot is in the same horizontal plane as the bottom 80f a paint well 9 of the tray, whereby the leg structure cooperates with the bottom to maintain the tray in a level position when it is placed upon a flatsurface.

Attachment or connection of the leg structure to the tray is effected by two receptacles it) and 11 on the underside of opposite'sides 12 and 13 of the tray. Each of these receptacles receives, engages-and maintains therein one of the two segments 3 and 3a of the leg structure 2. The two receptacles are in alignment with one another across the tray to position the leg structure perpendicularly of the longitudinal axis of the tray. Since the twov receptacles are identical, a description of one of them hereinafter is applicable to the other. 7

As shown, the tray has-on its topside a narrow ridgeiike peripheral flange 14 which extends along the two sides 12 and'13 thereof and along the left-hand end 15. This flange turns downwardly and defines on its underside a shallow groove in spaced inwardly from its outer edge and in abutment with the depending outside wall 17 of the tray body 18. Disposed in and across the groove 17 of the tray are two lug members 19 and 2t spaced apart a distance substantially the length of segment 3 and sufficient to receive and'confine therebetween the segment. This distance between the two lugs is only slightly greater, i.e., less than /8 greater, than the length of the segment 3 and of the bend 21 of the leg structure 2 from which segment 4 depends, so that the segment can be inserted laterally into the portion of the groove between the two lugs 19 and 20 while leaving almost no space for endwi-se movement of the segment between these twolugs. Thus theportion of the groove between the two lugs forms a topside of the receptacle and the two lugs define the ends thereof.

Lug member 19 located opposite the free end of the segment 3 depends from the groove 16 an amount more than half the thickness of the segment, and preferably substantially the thickness thereof. The other lug member 29 depends from the groove an amount greater than the thickness of the segment and down along a part of the vertical segment 4 of the leg structure 2. As shown, this lug depends to substantially the end of the bend 21 which connects segment 3 and the vertical segment 4.

Such an'arrangement of the two lug members with lug 19 depending an amount greater than one-half the thickness of thesegrnent'3 and the other lug 20 depending an amount greater than the thickness of the lug and the bend 21, assures. maintenance of the leg structure within the receptacle, and prevents the leg structure from getting out or working out of the receptacle in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tray.

The bottom side of the receptacle 16 is a rib 22 aimed to the outside wall 17 ofthe body 18 of the tray below the groove 16 and opposite the portion of the groove 16 between the two lugs and extending outwardly from the wall 17. This rib 22 is spaced from the groove an amount substantially that of the thickness of the segment and sufficient so that the segment can be moved into the receptacle laterally across at least a portion of its top surface. FIGURES l and 4 show that directly opposite the top surface of the rib 22 is an opening 23 through the flange 14- for assistance in injection molding the tray. When the segment is disposed in the receptacle, a portion of its underside rests upon the top surface of the rib member 22.

The part of the depending outside wall 17 of the tray body 18 in abutment with the inside of the groove and defined by the two lugs, forms one side of the receptacle it). Two spaced apart lip members 24 and 25 joined to the periphery of the underpart of the flange 14, form the other side of the receptacle. These two lips straddle the rib member 22 and engage the segment 3 and hold and maintain it in en agement with the depending outside Wall 17 of the tray body 18. As shown, these lips depend an amount below thetop surface of the rib member 22 for confining the segment in the receptacle.

When the segment is disposed in the receptacle, a part of its topside is in engagement with at least a part of the underside of the flange which defines the groove, a part of the underside of the segment is in engagement with the upper surface of the rib member and at least one of the two sides of the receptacle is in engagement therewith.

The tray issues from the injection molding machine at a temperature between about F. and 'F. and is in a plastic and pliable condition, with'the lips 24 and 25 extending horizontally outwardly as shown'in dotted lines in FIGURE 3 and solid lines in FIGURE 5. Also, the receptacle as fabricated is otherwise formed and defined as shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, inclusive. While the plastic material of the tray at the time of its fabrication and delivery from the injection moldingmachine is plastic and pliable, it has suflicient rigidity to retain its shape, but at this time it can be easily modified shapewise.

Immediately after the tray is fabricated by the injection molding machine and while it is still plastic, the segment 3 is inserted laterally into the receptacle between the lugs 19 and 26. This is followed by bending the lips downwardly and inwardly a small amount from their horizon tal position to the depending positions shown in solid lines in FIGURES 3 and 4 and thereby form the outerside of the receptacle and confine the segment therein. Preferably, the segment is inserted into the receptacle between the lugs so that it engages at least a portion of the underside of the flange which defines the groove and the rib member. Thereafter, the lips are bent downwardly and inwardly into engagement with the segment and so that the segment is also placed in engagement with the inside Wall of the receptacle.

The other segment 3a is similarly inserted into its re ceptacle while the material of the tray is in the plastic state, and its lip members promptly bent into their depending position. Thereafter, the tray is allowed to cool to room temperature and harden and become rigid.

Our invention has application to trays other than the one shown and described herein and to other similar articles which are made of plastic material and to which is attached or connected a metal rod-like leg structure or some other similar metal-like structure which need-' not be a leg one. Additional plastic materials from which the trays or other similar articles can be made include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl, polypropylene, etc. Also, the trays and other articles can be made by processes suchas vacuum forming, transfer molding, blow molding, rotational. molding and extrusion.

Our invention has important advantages which include a connection between a tray made from plastic material and a metal structure, which connection is easily and quickly effected and has good service life. Also, the connection is rugged and does not easily fail or become objectionably loose and unstable.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a connection between a metal rod-like leg structure and a tray-like member made from plastic material, the invention comprising a receptacle adjacent the periphery of one side of the tray for receiving and maintaining therein a segment of said leg structure, said segment being disposed in said receptacle, that portion of said leg structure which supportssaid tray in a given position when in use depending from said segment at one end thereof, said receptacle being on the underside of said tray, being spaced inwardly from the periphery of its side and extending substantially parallel to its side, said receptacle being defined by a portion of the underside of said tray which portion engages at least a part of the topside of said segment, by lug members at the ends thereof and spaced apart a distance substantially the length of said segment and sufficient to receive andconfine therebetween said segment, that lug member adjacent said depending portion of said leg structure extending downwardly from said underside of said tray along a part of said depending portion, by a rib member aifixed to a part of the body of said tray in a position spaced apart from said portion of the underside and in engagement with at least a portion of the underside of said segment, by a part of the body of said tray which part depends from the interior side of said receptacle and by a lip member joined to the periphery of said side and depending substantially downwardly therefrom an amount at least the thickness of said segment so that said lip and said part of said body form the sides of said receptacle, at least one of said lip and said part of said body being in engagement with said segment.

2. The invention of claim 1 characterized by said portion of the underside of said traywhich is in engagement with at least a part of the topside of said segment being a groove extending substantially parallel to said one side of said tray.

3. The invention of claim 1 characterized by a second receptacle on the opposite side of said tray from said firstmentioned receptacle and a second segment of said leg structure disposed therein, said second receptacle being substantially identical to said first-mentioned receptacle and being substantially identically positioned on said tray, said second segment being a part of one end of said leg structure of which said first-mentioned segment is a part of the other end thereof.

,4. In a connection between a metal rod-like leg structure and a tray-like member made from plastic material,

the invention comprising a receptacle adjacent the periphery of one side of the tray for receiving and maintaining therein a segment of said leg structure, said segment being disposed in said receptacle, that portion of said leg structure which supports said tray in a given position when in use depending from said segment, said receptacle being on the underside of said tray, being spaced inwardly from the periphery of its side and extending substantially parallel to its side, said receptacle being defined by a portion of the underside of said tray which portion engages at least a part of the topside of said segment, by lug members at the ends thereof and spaced apart a distance less than one-eighth inch greater than the length of said segment, each of said lug members depending from said underside of said tray an amount at least one-half of the thickness of said segment, by a rib member affixed to a part of the body of said tray in a position spaced apart from said portion of the underside and in engagement with at least a portion of the underside of said segment, by a part of the body of said tray which part depends from the interior side of said receptacle, and by a lip member joined to the periphery of said side and depending substantially downwardly therefrom an amount at least the thickness of said segment so that said lip and said part of said body form the sides of said receptacle, at least one of said lip and said part of said body being in engagement with said segment. 

1. IN A CONNECTION BETWEEN A METAL ROD-LIKE LEG STRUCTURE AND A TRAY-LIKE MEMBER MADE FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL, THE INVENTION COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF ONE SIDE OF THE TRAY FOR RECEIVING AND MAINTAINING THEREIN A SEGMENT OF SAID LEG STRUCTURE, SAID SEGMENT BEING DISPOSED IN SAID RECEPTACLE, THAT PORTION OF SAID LEG STRUCTURE WHICH SUPPORTS SAID TRAY IN A GIVEN POSITION WHEN IN USE DEPENDING FROM SAID SEGMENT AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID RECEPTACLE BEING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID TRAY, BEING SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERY OF ITS SIDE AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO ITS SIDE, SAID RECEPTACLE BEING DEFINED BY A PORTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID TRAY WHICH PORTION ENGAGES AT LEAST A PART OF THE TOPSIDE OF SAID SEGMENT, BY LUG MEMBERS AT THE ENDS THEREOF AND SPACED APART A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID SEGMENT AND SUFFICIENT TO RECEIVE AND CONFINE THEREBETWEEN SAID SEGMENT, THAT LUG MEMBER ADJACENT SAID DEPENDING PORTION OF SAID LEG STRUCTURE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID UNDERSIDE OF SAID TRAY ALONG A PART OF SAID DEPENDING PORTION, BY A RIB MEMBER AFFIXED TO A PART OF THE BODY OF SAID TRAY IN A POSITION SPACED APART FROM SAID PORTION OF THE UNDERSIDE AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID SEGMENT, BY A PART OF THE BODY OF SAID TRAY WHICH PART DEPENDS FROM THE INTERIOR SIDE OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND BY A LIP MEMBER JOINED TO THE PERIPHERY OF SAID SIDE AND DEPENDING SUBSTANTIALLY DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AN AMOUNT AT LEAST THE THICKNESS OF SAID SEGMENT SO THAT SAID LIP AND SAID PART OF SAID BODY FORM THE SIDES OF SAID RECEPTACLE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LIP AND SAID PART OF SAID BODY BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEGMENT. 